Forever in the City of Dreams
by Kemii Lu
Summary: Even in the City of Dreams, it seems as though Vanille can not escape her nightmares. Luckily, Fang is there to remind her that she can always count on a special word. My first fan fiction attempt ever. MILD Shoujo-Ai. One-Shot.


This is my first attempt ever at writing a fan fiction piece. For that reason it probably isn't very good compared to other pieces here on FF, but I hope that by writing this and many others in the time to come I can improve and become a full and productive member of the FF community.

Even though I'm a gay guy I can't help but spazz over Fang and Vanille. They are just so adorable together. And come on, was I the only one thinking they were Lesbians when they were reunited at the Palmecia? As Nautilus is my favorite ingame location, next to the Sunleth Waterscape, I decided to locate this one-shot there.

I hope you enjoy it. :]

**Disclaimer:** I obviously don't own FFXIII or any of it's characters. If I did, Rygdea would be mine and Fang and Vanille would have statues erected in their names as my all time favorite Shoujo-Ai couple.

* * *

"Fang, come look!"

To anyone else it was one voice of amusement among many, between them however it was filled with a longing to escape from fate, even if just for a little while. Vanille smiled jovially as she leaned down, reaching out a hand towards the big yellow Chocobo which seemed to take a liking to the cherry haired girl, allowing her to reach up and pet his head feathers without the fuss that was common with their species. Vanille jumped back at a sudden 'Kaw!' however, clearly meant in no other way than to express pleasure as the big bird like creature tilted his head at the surprised look on his new friends face, hands over her chest.

"Looks like he got you there" commented Fang on her companion's surprised face as she walked towards them. Something about the surprised look on Vanille's face and the innocent tilt of the Chobos head made her laugh at the cherry haired girl.

"Ooohh! Be quiet" Vanille retorted clearly still flustered at the shock, turning away with her arms crossed as she pouted at the laughing directed at her. The Chocobo had gone away by now, returning when the breeder had rung a bell signaling feeding time and Vanille held out her hand towards the Chocobo as it ran away and sighed. "I'll…I'll say goodbye before we leave, okay?" she called after him, the Chocobo giving a 'Kaw!' as he ran.

'There were other things to do here besides petting Chobos, right? It was after all, the city of dreams…'

"You know, we really sho - -"Fang had her words cut off just as quickly as she had spoken them. Clearly whatever she was about to say was not something the other female wanted to hear.

"Hey, Fang" Vanille looked back at the older woman, a smile on her face as though she had something planned. "See if you can catch me, okay? Then we can go"

The raven haired woman was about to object but it was too late, Vanille had already taken off through a crowd of fellow visitors. "Oh Vanille…" she spoke sympathetically. Did the other not understand that each moment wasted on frivolous things was one moment closer to her transformation into a C'ieth? Sometimes, the raven haired woman had to wonder…

Or perhaps she did. Perhaps she just preferred to spend her time lost in dreams rather than chasing a road which ended only in pain?

Fang sighed lightly and then looked back up towards where her companion had run off.

"I swear, I won't ever let it happen…" the words were determined, assured and yet a hint of despair at the waning time could also be heard somewhere within. But if this was Vanille's wish, could Fang really deny her an escape for at least an hour?

Looking back up in the direction Vanille had run, Fang took off following.

---

Looking for Vanille was no problem when the sound of fireworks rung in the sky. Even in a place as large as Nautilus she was sure that Vanille would be attracted to the spectacle. "Vanille!" the raven haired woman called out when she spotted her companion standing among the crowd, eyes intent on the spectacle that was taking place in the sky. This was more than just a fireworks show however: it was the telling of a story, a war between two worlds. One they were both very familiar with.

Even when Fang had managed to push her way through the crowd and stand beside her the girl did not take her eyes off the show, engrossed in the story that was so much like the future they were chasing. As a gesture of subconscious acknowledgement the older woman felt her companions hand entwine with hers as they stood, watching the soldiers of Cocoon take on the beasts of Pulse, cries of Cocoon pride and Anti-Pulse sentiment all around them.

In some way Fang knew this wasn't something Vanille wanted to watch, but something she felt she had to. Even in the city of dreams neither of them could escape the nightmares of reality it seemed. The show was heating up as the last soldier meant to portray Cocoon appeared; followed shortly by the figure that was the embodiment of all their fears and nightmares – Ragnarok.

Fang immediately turned her eyes to Vanille at his appearance, knowing that the reaction of the engrossed female would be negative. But she wasn't there, gone almost as quickly as Fang had felt their fingers unlock.

"Vanille!" she cried desperately, drowned out by the chants and shouts of the crowd that swarmed around her.

"Vanille!"

As she pushed her way violently through the crowd, ignoring all the shouts of protest, Fang chided herself, wondering why she let the other watch. She should have known how it would end…she should have known the reaction it would elicit.

There was no clear place for Vanille to have run to this time, and so the search went much slower even though it was much more frantic than the game they had played earlier. The running raven haired female attracted the attention of other visitors as she ran through park, shouting a foreign name to all but her.

"Vanille!" she cried desperately, eyes scanning the vast scenery that surrounded her.

Only when she remembered Vanilles promise to the Chocobo did Fang finally find her. Even when it was to a bird, her friend never broke a promise.

The first sign of her companion was the soft cries of a female tormented by the future. Turning the corner of the brightly lit Chocobo zoo she saw her, -- slid down against the wall of a Chocobo barn, hand gently grazing over the yellow feathers of the large Chocobo that sat next to her.

"Vanille…" the words were soft as Fang slowed her frantic run, walking closer to the figure on the ground, crouching down in front of her. "You scared the hell out of me, you know that?" she chided, but immediately stopped at the tears that ran down her companions flushed face.

"What's the use?" the words were seeped in despair, despair at the assured fate of death. The presence of Ragnarok had only served to remind her of something she'd been pushing down for as long as she could, something she'd been trying to forget since the very first day they had learned of their focus.

The choice between ones own death or losing a loved one, was it really much choice at all? It certainly didn't seem like it.

"No matter how far we run, no matter how hard we try – it's already been decided. Fate is fate. So why Fang? Why should I even care to go on?" she demanded.

The raven haired female was a bit brought back at the sudden change in demeanor, but recollected herself just as quickly. The older woman leaned in against her companion, lifting her face with a finger situated under the others chin so they were looking at each other directly.

"Because" she began, her words more assured and confident than any other she'd ever spoke before "we'll find a way out of this mess. I'll do whatever it takes to protect you Vanille, surely you know that, I won't ever allow fate to take you away from me, no matter how much it tries"

"But - -"

"But what? Even if I need to become a monster to do it" her voice was steady, a glimmer in her eyes as she spoke "I'll do it. Even if it takes a thousand years before we can be together again, we will be" they were leaning closely together now, faces as close as they could be without touching each other. The stream of tears that had been falling down Vanille's eyes had finally ceased, replaced with a hint of doubt, but also a spark of new hope.

"Forever?" she asked, placing a hand behind her older companions neck.

"Forever, I promise" and at those words Fang finally leaned in, using this gentle kiss as a way to seal her promise to Vanille.

'KAW! KAW!'

The kiss was broken at the sudden outburst from the yellow creature besides them, Vanille nearly falling to her side in surprise.

"Not again!" she pouted, her flushed face at the events preceding only adding to the humor. Fang couldn't help but start laughing again, offering Vanille a hand up.

"Looks like someone's jealous"

"Sorry, but I _was_ with her first" Vanille apologized once she was up, reaching out to pet the head of the large yellow bird whom seemed to enjoy the hand petting him.

"And forever, at that" Fang interjected, smiling.

"Right, Forever" Vanille nodded, looking up at the other female and smiling as they begun to walk away. Vanille had returned to her normally cheerful self again, reassured that no matter how hard things got or how bad things seemed, there was one word she could always count on.

"Hey, Fang"

"Yeh?"

"Catch me if you can!"


End file.
